


Test Subject

by not1inamillion



Category: Supernatural
Genre: College AU, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 04:26:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7252018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/not1inamillion/pseuds/not1inamillion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Castiel is a psych student trying to find one more test subject for a project, and Dean is in the right place at the right time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Test Subject

**Author's Note:**

> My first Destiel piece that I've posted... Let me know how it goes!
> 
> And side note, but i have no idea how these types of surveys are conducted. Hopefully I haven't made any tactical errors. Let's all use our suspension of disbelief!

All Castiel needed was one more test subject, and he could be done with this psych project once and for all. It was classes like this that made him question why he wanted to be a psychology major in the first place. He just needed to make it through this weird-ass class on gender studies, then he could get back to the rest of his major requirements. Not that he didn’t find gender studies interesting, but the class itself required more social interaction than he would’ve liked.

Castiel skimmed the crowd of students filtering through the quad in the center of campus. Ideally he needed someone who was alone. No one lounging with a group of friends would want to talk to the geeky guy asking weirdly intimate questions about their personal identities.

He admittedly spent way longer than he should have looking for the right person. He knew his final participant had to be a guy in order to even out the ratio of the test pool. Unlike most guys, Castiel had no problems approaching girls. They saw him as non-threatening, if not a little intense. But guys… Castiel had a strong tendency to turn into a stuttering mess, especially with the attractive ones. If they didn’t know he was gay by looking at him, they’d figure it out pretty quickly with all the blushing he did.

The right person came in the form of a tall guy clad in a leather jacket and work boots. The kind of guy that was always too cool to talk to Castiel in high school. But this was college, and Castiel was nearly twenty years old. It was time to put those high school insecurities behind him.

“Excuse me, I’m a psych student, and I’m doing a survey on gender and sexual identity. Would you mind answering a few questions?” Most of the guys Castiel had asked had been hesitant, assuming they agreed at all. Most guys were heavily uncomfortable with the subject matter apparently. Very mature.

The guy shrugged, and raised his eyebrows expectantly. Castiel cleared his throat. “Okay, um, let’s start with the basics. What year are you in?”

“I’m a junior.” Dear god, his voice was attractive. Low and rumbling. A little husky. Castiel was being terribly unprofessional. 

“And what’s your major?”

“Mechanical engineering. Don’t ask me what I want to do with it though. I just know I like to build things.” And he was smart on top of his good looks? It seemed unfair that he would have those green eyes, freckles, and have an above average IQ. 

“Okay, very good.” Castiel scribbled this information down on his clipboard. He cleared his throat again. Here comes the awkward part. “And what do you identify as, gender-wise? This is all confidential, and you do not have to answer.”

“Nah, it’s cool. I identify as male. Cisgender. That’s the right term, right?”

“Yes, it is. And have you ever questioned this identity?”

“Nope,” He popped the ‘p’ sound, casual as can be.

“And what do you identify as sexually? Again, you do not have to answer if you are uncomfortable.”

“Hey, it’s all in the name of science, right? I’m bi.”

A selfish part of Castiel thought to himself ‘So I stand a chance.’ Realistically, he knew this wasn’t true though, and that he just needed to get through this survey, and then he could go take a cold shower. 

“Okay. And when did you recognize this as part of your identity?”

“Sophomore year of high school, I think? I never officially came out though. I just brung home guys and girls alike and let everyone figure it out. Is that a clear enough answer?”

“Yes, it will do. Thank you for your time.”

“Well hold up. What’s this study on? Should I be looking for a publication of this study from you in some major science magazine or something?” The guy smiled, and Castiel tried not to swoon too much. He had a really nice smile.

“I’m afraid not. I just had to conduct a survey for one of my gender studies classes, and draw some conclusions. So I’m studying if males or females are more likely to be open about questioning their sexual or gender identities. And then I ask about their majors just to have a segway into an otherwise awkward conversation.”

To Castiel’s surprise, the guy chuckled. “Probably a smooth move. Not everyone can spill his guts to a random guy on the quad.”

“It has made this process a little more painful.”

“Well hey, I hope it pans out for you, man.”

“You were actually the last participant I needed. Now I get to go to the library and make some fancy Excel charts.”

“I was actually headed to the library too. Walk together?”

Castiel tried really hard to hide his blushing. “Sure. That’d be great.”

“I’m Dean, by the way. Dean Winchester.”

“I’m Castiel Novak.”

“That’s quite a name. Does anyone ever call you Cas?”

“My brother Gabriel calls me Cassie, but I try very hard to discourage that.”  Castiel paused. “I like Cas though. It sounds much less derogatory.”

“Then Cas it is.”

The pair walked in silence for a little while. Castiel tried his best to remain casual. No need to freak out. Never mind the fact that he was parading around campus with quite possibly the most attractive guy Castiel had ever seen. 

“So you’re majoring in psych?” Dean said finally.

“I’m trying to.”

“That’s pretty cool. My little brother, Sam, he’s doing pre-law, but I think that included some psych courses. He was all over them though. He’s kinda a geek like that, I guess.” Dean chuckled. “I guess that’s a load of crap coming from a guy majoring in mechanical engineering. Talk about nerdy.”

“Oh no, I don’t think it’s nerdy at all.” Castiel mentally slapped himself. What a dumb thing to say. He was going to be a psychologist. He had to talk to people for a living. And he couldn’t even make it through this conversation without saying something dumb!

“Would it be nerdy to ask you for a cup of coffee? I can’t think of a good pick up line.”

Castiel definitely couldn’t hide the blush that time. Dean smiled. “You know, blushing really brings out your eyes.” That comment in turn made Castiel even redder.

“Yeah, I can do coffee.” He finally squeaked out. 

Dean beamed. “Awesome. I was a little worried you didn’t swing that way.”

Castiel smiled a little, which only made Dean’s smile grow too. “Well I didn’t take a gender studies course by accident.”


End file.
